Since the development of “no-till” farming, researchers, consultants, and growers have adopted the practice for its economic and environmental benefits. “No-till” practices consist of managing cash crops with minimal to no tillage used, and inversely relies on herbicides to manage undesirable plants. No-till farming offers many positives, such as reducing erosion, water runoff, as well as fuel, time, and labor costs. However, no-till practices still possess issues. Since the fields are not tilled, soils become compacted, which severely reduces the ability of water to filter through the soil. In turn, soil compaction reduces crop yield. In areas in which soil compaction occurs and there are limited amounts of plant residue on the soil surface, water runoff occurs. Water runoff not only results in unused water, it also moves residual pesticides away from the targeted area and causes soil erosion. Also, due to the heavy reliance on herbicides to manage undesirable plants, some of these plants have acquired herbicide resistance, making them both challenging and costly to manage.
In order to combat issues caused by no-till farming, the use of cover crops is gaining popularity. Cover crops are simply plants grown in an area for economic and environmental benefits while the cash crop is not being cultivated. Cover crops typically are grass, legume, or brassica species. Cover crops help to minimize erosion by introducing large amounts of plant residue on the soil surface. Cover crops also help to reduce soil compaction by making the soil more penetrable with their root systems. Cover crops help to suppress weeds by competing for water, sunlight, and soil nutrients. Cover crops also add soil organic matter, creating a more fertile growing medium for cash crops. Additionally, some cover crops, such as many legume species, fixate nitrogen in the soil through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria on their root systems that convert nitrogen gas from air in the soil into ammonium that can be used by the cash crop. Cover crops such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats also give a grower the option to harvest for grain if they desire.
Although cover crops offer many attractive benefits, inefficient methods of termination are slowing their adoption rate. Typically, cover crops are terminated by means of chemical herbicides. However, in some scenarios, such as organic farming, herbicides may not be an option. Alternately, cover crops and undesirable plants can also be terminated by means of a roller-crimper.
Currently, a roller-crimper is an elongated, hollow cylinder with fixed blades evenly spaced around the cylinder in a chevron or helical arrangement. It is used to roll over and press cover crops or plant material and evenly crimp or pinch the stems of the plants, preventing translocation of water and nutrients, resulting in termination of the plant. Current roller-crimpers range from 5 feet in length to 15 feet in length, but can be custom built up to 40 feet in length. A roller-crimper is typically attached to the three-point hitch on the front or rear of a tractor or attached to a drawbar and pulled behind a tractor. Roller-crimpers ranging from 5 feet to 15 feet in length can be attached to the front of the tractor, rolling and crimping cover crops during planting. However, current commercial roller-crimpers over 15 feet in length require an individual pass to be made to roll and crimp the cover crop before the planter is able to sow seed of the desired cash crop. Growers then unhook the implement from the tractor and load the roller-crimper on a separate trailer for transportation.
A roller-crimper crushes and terminates cover crops or plant material and evenly crimps the stems of the plants, preventing translocation of water and nutrients. However, current roller-crimpers are not effective on uneven surfaces and slopes, because the roller-crimper is unable to make uniform contact with the ground unless the surface is perfectly flat. Also, current roller-crimpers do not allow a grower to leave living cover crops or plant biomass in between the planted rows of the cash crop. The pressure acted upon the pinching point of the ground and the plants stem currently is only mediated by the weight of the roller, or weight added to the roller. The ability to quickly adjust pressure as needed is not available.
As interest in the use of cover crops continues to increase, a crucial part of a cover crop system is how to terminate the cover crop prior to or during planting. Also, there is a need for an improved method of creating a better surface when planting into or managing in-season existing undesirable plants or harvest residue in double-crop systems. A flex roller-crimper has been designed for three purposes: terminating living cover crops broadcast or in strips, roller crimping existing undesirable plants broadcast or in strips, or roller crimping harvest residue broadcast or in strips in double-crop systems.